Ammunition hoists



Filed Dec. 13. 1960 Dec. 4, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 13 6 6 [nvenfors 18735 i A/berf Be/rrens kar/ Heinz Ko/zow 6- By Peter Markus Brandi $6M A m am M ays.

Dec. 4, 1962 A. BEHRENS ETAL 3,066,761

AMMUNITION HOISTS Filed Dec. 13. 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 w v. 3} Y7 Inventors A/berf Bah/ens Karl Heinz /(0/z0w 8 By Pefer Markus Brand) atet 3,966,761 Patented Dec. 4, 1962 Free 3,066,761 AMBTUNITION HOISTS Albert Behrens, Hamburg-Lokstedt, Karl-Heinz Kolzow,

Hamburg-Rahlstedt, and Peter-Markus Brandt, Hamburg, Germany, assignors to Willy H. Schlieker K.G.,

a German company Filed Dec. 13, 1960, Ser. No. 75,635 6 Claims. (Cl. 187-1) This invention relates in general to an ammunition hoist adapted for use with a hoist shaft and, in particular, to an ammunition hoist provided with a gas-tight seal for sealing the ammunition hoist against the hoist shaft when the hoist is at rest.

When the hoist cage is at rest, it may be necessary that a gas-tight seal be provided between the hoist cage and the hoist shaft. This gas-tight seal must resist excess pressures of, for example, around mm. Hg.

In accordance with the invention, the hoist cage com prises a gas-tight floor and a gas tight roof. Collars composed of elastic material having a curved cross-section are fixed to the periphery of the gas-tight floor and the gas-tight roof. One of the longitudinal edges of each of the collars is fixed along the peripheries of the gastight floor and the gas-tight roof, respectively, in a gastight manner. The other longitudinal edge of each collar is fixed to a frame which is moveable relative to the hoist cage and parallel to the side walls of the hoist cage. Each collar has a biasing force acting continually thereon, thereby positioning the collars in a substantially gastight manner against the hoist shaft walls. Means are provided for moving the two frames in a direction so as to oppose the biasing force. The means for moving the two frames is operative responsive to the switching on of the drive power of the ammunition hoist. When the drive power is switched on, the frames are moved thereby extending the collars and lifting the collars away from bearing contact with the hoist shaft walls. When the drive power is switched off, the frames are released and the collars returned to a bearing contact position with the shaft wall.

As long as the hoist cage is at rest, the hoist shaft is automatically sealed against gas penetration by the gastight floor and the gas-tight roof of the hoist cage and by the elastic collars bearing against the shaft wall. When the hoist cage is moved the simultaneous actuation of the drive power and of the means for moving the two frames frees the collars from the shaft walls whereby the collars do not rub against the hoist shaft walls when the hoist cage is in movement.

The means for moving the two frames thereby extending or lifting the collars from contact with the hoist shaft walls may comprise a rope and pulley arrangement connecting the two frames together. The connecting rope moves over guide pulleys at the lower and upper ends of the hoist shaft and is responsive to a rope tensioning device, such as for instance a tensioning pulley. The tensioning pulley is adapted to be operated by a pulling apparatus.

The biasing force on the collars can be provided by a plurality of tension springs. The tension springs apply a force to the frames resulting in the outward movement of the collars towards the shaft walls to provide a gastight seal between the collars and the shaft walls.

In order to insure that the hoist shaft will be automatically sealed when a shaft door is opened during movement of the hoist cage, a switch is preferably arranged at each shaft door. This switch is in the circuit of the drive power and as soon as a shaft door is opened the current for the drive power is shut off. The switch also renders the means for moving the two frames inoperative so that the hoist cage comes to a stand-still immediately and the collars move out into their sealing position against the shaft walls.

One embodiment of the invention will 'be explained in more detail hereinafter and reference is made to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a diagrammatical longitudinal sectional view of a hoist cage and hoist shaft arrangement em-,

bodying the features of the invention illustrating the hoist cage in an at rest condition;

FIGURE 2. is a view similar to FIGURE 1 illustrating the hoist cage in a'moving condition;

FIGURE 3 is a partial cross-sectional view illustrating the collar and the frame, the parts being shown in full scale.

The hoist shaft 1 has a substantially rectangular crosssection and is provided with gas-tight side walls, doors 1a are provided in the hoist shaft and the doors in when closed provide a gas-tight seal. The hoist cage 2 is adapted to travel in the shaft 1. The roof 3 and the floor 4 of the hoist cage are each connected to the ends of a rope 5 which is guided over idler pulleys 6. Rope 5 winds on and winds off the rope drum 8 over the guide pulleys 7. The winding of the rope 5 around the rope drum 8 moves the hoist cage 2. The rope drum 8 is driven by a motor (not shown). Up to this point the hoist described does not differ from known hoists.

The roof 3 and fioor 4 are of gas-tight construction. Each of them includes at its periphery a sealing collar 9. The collars are curved in cross-section and have in this embodiment a substantially V-shaped cross-section with a rounded-off apex edge. The collars, which have the cross-sectional shape, shown in FIGURE 3, -are made endless and made of elastic material. One longitudinal edge or rim of each collar is connected in a gas-tight manner to the cage 2. The other longitudinal edge or rim in each case is clamped fast to a corresponding frame 10. Frames 10 are movable relative to the hoist cage 2 and move parallel to the side walls of the hoist shaft 1.

The shape and method of securing the collars 9 to the hoist cage 2 and the frames 10 is shown in FIGURE 3. The longitudinal edges of the collars 9 are provided with a bead portion 19 and are clamped fast to the hoist cage 2 and the movable frame 10 by a clamping frame 22 which may be made in one piece or composed of a number of parts. Each frame '10 is provided with sliding members 1% which are slidably guided on brackets 23. A stop 24 is provided on each bracket 23 for limiting the movement of the frame 10 relative to the brackets 23 when the respective collar 9 is being lifted from hearing contact with the walls of the hoist shaft 1. A plurality of tension springs 11 are attached to the frames 10 and the roof 3 and the floor 4, respectively, and provide a biasing force on the collars 9. The collars 9 respond to the biasing force exerted by the springs 11- and move in an outward direction towards the side walls of the hoist shaft 1 and bear against the side walls of the hoist shaft 1.

The means for moving the collars 9 comprises a rope 12 the ends of which are fixed substantially centrally of the frames 10 in order to avoid tilting the frames 10. For constructional reasons the rope 12 is so deflected by guide pulleys 18 in the vicinity of the fastening points that it extends parallel to and at a distance from the central axis of the cage. At the ends of the hoist shaft the rope 12 runs over the guide pullevs 13 and 14. Positioned between the two pulleys 13 and 14 are two tensioning pulleys 15 which are spaced slightly apart from one another. The rope 12 normally runs over pulleys 15 without any change in direction. A tensioning pulley 16 is positioned between the pulleys 15 so as to be able to place the rope 12 in a state of tension and the tensioning pulley 16 is electrically operated by a \D pulling apparatus 17. When the pulling apparatus 17 is actuated, the tensioning pulley 16 moves in a direction at right angles to the rope and to the right as illustrated in the drawings so that the rope 12 is deflected as shown in the drawings. Consequently, the frames are moved and slide on the brackets 23 thereby resulting in the collars 9 being extended and thus being lifted away from contact with the shaft Walls, as can be best seen in FIGURE 2.

The driving motor and pulling apparatus 17' are connected together electrically. Advantageously, a time-lag relay is arranged in the driving motor circuit so as to insure that the collars 9 are lifted away from bearing contact with the shaft walls when the motor is started. On switching-off, however, for safety reasons, the drivihg motor and pulling device 17 should be rendered inoperative simultaneously. In addition to the usual switches for stopping the driving motor at the cage positions level with the shaft doors 1a at the end of a path to travel, further switches are provided at the shaft doors 1a in order to interrupt the current for the driving motor and pulling apparatus as soon as the door 1a is opened.

What is claimed is: p I H 1. An ammunition hoist adapted for usewitha hoist shaft comprising a cage shift-ably disposed in said shaft and having a gas-tight floor and a gas-tight roof, collar members of elastic material and curved in cross-section fixed at one of their longitudinal edges in a gas-tight manner to the periphery of said floor and roof, respectively, frame members slidably secured to 'said cage, means securing the other longitudinal edge of each collar member to said frame members, means exerting force on said collar members so as to normally dispose said collar members into a gas-tight seal with said hoist shaft, means for moving said frame members relative to said cage whereby said collar members are moved from contact with said hoist shaft, drive means operative to move said cage in said shaft, and means for operating said drive means and said means for moving said frame members whereby said drive means and said means for moving said frame members are both rendered operative and inoperative at substantially the same time.

2. An ammunition hoist as in claim 1 wherein said means for moving said frame members relative to said cage comprises pulleys positioned at the upper and lower ends of said hoist shaft, a rope having a normalposition connected at one end to one of said frame members and at the other end to another of said frame members and extending over said pulleys in the lower and upper ends of said hoist shaft, and a rope tensioning device having an operative and inoperative position, said rope tensioning device engaging said rope in its operative position so as to move said rope from its normal position so as to apply tension to said frame members. 7

3. An ammunition hoist as in claim 1 wherein said means exerting force on said collar members so as to normally dispose said collar members into a gas-tight seal with said hoist shaft comprise a plurality of tension springs having one end thereof connected to one of the longitudinal sides of said collars and the other end of the other longitudinal side of said collars.

4. An ammunition hoist adapted for use with a hoist shaft comprising a cage shiftably disposed in said shaft and having a gas-tight floor and a'gas-tight roof, collar members of elastic material and curved in cross-section fixed at one of their longitudinal edges in a gas-tight manner to the periphery of said floor and roof respectively, frame members, means securing the other longitudinal edge of each collar to said frame members, said frame members slidably secured to said cage, biasing members comprising a plurality of tension springs exerting a force on said collar members so as to normally dispose said collar members into a gas-tight seal with said hoist shaft, means for moving said frame members relative to said cage comprising pulleys at the lower and upper ends 'of said hoist shaft, a rope having a normal position connected at one end to one of said frame members and at the other end to the other of said frame members and extending over said pulleys in the lower and upper ends of said hoist shaft, and a rope tensioning device having an operative and an inoperative position, said rope tensioning devicein its operative'condition moving said rope'from its normal position so as toapply a tension force to said frame members, drive means operative tomove said cage in said shaft, means for operating said drive means and said means for moving said frame members whereby both said drive means and said means for moving said frame members are rendered operative and inoperative at substantially the same time. t

5. An ammunition hoist adapted for use with a hoist shaft comprising: a cagefshiftably disposed in said shaft and having a gas-tight floor. and a gas-tight roof, a shaft door provided in said shaft, collar members of elastic material and curved in cross-section fixed at one of the longitudinal edges in a gas-tight manner to the periphery of said floor and roof, respectively, frame members, means securing the other longitudinal edge of each collar to said frame members, said frame members slidably secured to said cage, biasing members exerting a force on said collar members so as to normally dispose said collar members into a gas-tight seal with said hoist shaft, means for moving said frame members relative to said cage whereby said collar members are m'ovedffrom contact with said shaft, said means for moving said frame members relative to said cage comprising pulleys positioned at the upper and lower ends of said hoist shaft, a rope connected at one end to one of said frames and connected at the other end to another of said frames and extending over said pulleys in the lower and upper ends of said hoist shaft, and a rope tensioning device having an operative and inoperative position, said rope tensioning device in its operative condition moving said rope so as to exert a tensional force on said frame members, drive means operative to move said cage in said shaft, means for operating said drive means and said means for moving said frame members whereby said drive means and said means for moving said frame members are simultaneously operated, additional meansfor rendering said drive means and said means for moving said frame members inoperative responsive to opening of said door in said hoist shaft.

6. ,A claim as in claim 1 including a shaft door in said hoistshaft and additional means for rendering said drive means and said means for movingsaid frame members inoperative responsive to the opening of said shaft door. 

